RWBY Star Knights
by ryan garfeild
Summary: What happens when a Expeditionary Fleet comes to Remnant. Worlds will change
1. Chapter 1

_**PROLOUGE**_

 _Queens/Apprentice/War_

The four Princesses were sisters. The world needed a leader, four leaders and the old Wizard was inclined to deal with the threat. The ancient evil was stirring, the age they lived in was something of a fallen era. There was something to be said for the ancient cities of the stars. Men had been punished by Gods of Darkness and the Old Man looked through the skeins of time and he saw what had happened in the past, the desperation and the fear and the hatred. The world was complex and the Princesses needed to learn.

So they had come here, from the cities that were their realms. Four Kingdoms and four lights against the Night. There was much that had happened, much disaster and these four women who stood outside his hut were the ones to reverse it.

"Dear children." He said rising from his chair and walking to the door and opening it. He was old, his long white beard, wrinkled face and raspy voice was ample testament. Through his gifts he had endeavored to oppose the Witch. But even with his skills there was not much that he could do. He could however pass his power onto others. By duplicating his powers by four and by handing them to four women. These four sisters who had by their courage united the humans and the Faunus and they had formed four kingdoms out of the ashes of the great civilization that had once been. The Witch was one of the many entities that dwelt in the Beyond and well if worse came to worse then these four would become entities that were pure and they would guard this world.

"You are the chosen ones, by your virtue and courage you have led humans from the darkness that threatens us all. Four lights against the Night. With any luck we shall see an end to this plague of beasts that has impacted us for the last several millennia. We have much to do and we shall do it."

The Old Man trained others besides the four women to master gifts. There was another who was here. He was dressed in Green robes wearing his silver hair down to his shoulders. The young man was waiting in his own rooms and he was calm as he was mediating on the skeins of time. Seeking the future and the past. He looked into the depths of unreality and it came to him in a rush.

 _Warriors unlike any others stalked the stars. Knights unlike those who were here. In great and ancient craft they were traveling from world to world. At their head there was a great brotherhood. 20 Princes who were not human, giants who fought with the speed and fury and cunning of great heros. One of them came here to this world. To free it._

 _But before that._

 _War stalked the world, the four apprentices that his master was training were gone and they were dead. The witch stood over their corpses. He could not see his own roll in this grand play. He opened his eyes._

He was on his knees sweating and he was quite tired. Outside in the fields he could hear his old master teaching the four. The power they were in possession of.

 _The witch wants it…she wont stop.  
_

 _And then he saw the battles to come in some distant time. He saw a man, a superhuman towering over the Knights. Black hair like a void that surrounded the stars. His eyes were full of silver and blue. His warplate was magnificent and he was an Angel of War. He led his legions into the fires, the witch was doomed._

The apprentice felt all the visions fade. He was quite tired from his experience. Gathering his composure he left the room walking with his hands in his sleeves to his master. The man had been teaching the four for hours. Girls it seemed, Maidens were quite inclined to play. Not these women. They relaxed on the grass and they were diligent in their lessons. Ozpim was struck with another vision.

 _A man, a scholar, but in reality a Golden King who one could not help but love and respect and follow into the fires of hell. His flaming sword a beacon of Hope. But he came to Ozpim in his darkness dressed in simple clothes, not a student but a fellow teacher who knew that the planet was in need of help._

The Wizard continued his teachings, Ozpim watched and then he went to his own learning. While the maidens learned about the mysteries of the univserse so did Ozpim. They were princesses and lived in pavilions that were built far from the house that Ozpim and his master shared. Surrounded by the retinues of guards and servants that made sure their every need was met. The Wizard was a relief from the burdens. He was old and respected them as equals and they learned. Their retinues were left behind and they spent time as human beings. He was quite wise and awesome and Ozpim was forever awed by the wisdom of his master and he was quite respectful.

One evening when the four princesses had been sent away. Not early but on time. The Wizard sat sharing a simple meal with Ozpim.

"My student, I have always loved you like a father loves a son."

"You honor me master with your praise."

"It is the truth and to say any less would be a grievous error."

Ozpim looked at the old man. He was quite grim. "There shall come a time very soon when I am not here. You, you know how to survive, as I have planned because I need you to do this. Watch over them Ozpim for the Witch will not easily stop. Not until, not now not for a long time and even then it probably won't be enough."

"I understand Master."

The Old Wizard passed on, the Maidens and Ozpim at the man's side to the very end and the world in a way knew that things would be different. Things would be quite hard. The Witch was watching and the world was quite ripe for the taking. Ozpim was the only one who could handle the needs. Four Kingdoms at peace would be quite tempting. And at peace they were. Ozpim wrote and guided, he formed some of the first huntsmen. He found Dust.

Fusion, was gone in the chaos that came before, when the Maidens had come Humanity was on the brink and then, he had found Dust, using his old Masters lovely chemical things. And the tomes, a thing that allowed ancient technology to be powered. With the Maidens leading the Kingdoms then there could be peace. Even with the rising tides of Monsters.

Grimm.

The beings had arrived in ancient days, creatures born of the foulest elements of unreality and they had fed on Humanity. Flesh and bones were crunched in their jaws and the spirits of people were crushed by the sight of them tearing through Armies. The Four Queens, the Queens of Atlas, Vale, Vacuo, Mistral all led the defense, their retinues, they were the First Huntsmen. Men and women and human and Faunus who found the courage to fight. Nobles and people of Good worth. The Kingdoms were united and the people had hope. As the Galaxy was burning in the fires of the Night. Shrouded and ignorant, the world was named Remnant as they were one of the last places with any civilization left in the galaxy that was burning. Humanity was on the edge as the world of Remnant was prospering.

In all honesty Ozpim was somewhat disturbed that there was chaos in the Galaxy. He lived in the Old Wizards house beside the river deep in the woods. The Universities of the Kingdoms were places that he frequented. Grimm were born of the negative in the Human soul. And as the Queens and their champions fought back with hope and righteous fury the young apprentice who had come to be a formidable wizard in his own right got complacent.

One day that complacence cost him. The Huntsmen and Huntresses, the first who guard their queens without cease were overwhelmed by four agents. These four agents of Salem were not sent by the others in the oblivion of emotion that was beyond reality. There was not much that Ozpim could do. The queens were dead, they left no heirs to their thrones, no children. Maidens…. that were dead. But they were not. Well the bodies had been damaged by the beasts beyond all hope. Ozpim had defeated these four monsters. But he had to act. Enacting a rite that his master had designed the four spirits would ascend to become enitites of the either through which ships had traveled for thousands of years before the times that the world was now facing.

And what times was the world facing.

Each Kingdom accused the other of being desirous of some alliance against them. The deaths of the four Queens led to the First War. The four Kingdoms were at each others throats and the Witch laughed out loud in her lair. The witch, the enitity had a name.

Salem.

A being that was as much human as it was monster. She enjoyed watching the world burn. The suffering fed her children. The Grimm were her and she was the Grimm and they as a single Evil was a threat.

Ozpim could only watch as the First War was waged, the war was bloody and it was Gory. There was screams and there was a great agony on Ozpims mind. He looked at the battlefields and the carnage. He watched the skies.

 _Ozpim looked up at the sky and he saw the Purple star. The ship plunged down, like one of the numerous meteors that had been coming down on Remnant. And when he arrived at the crash site he met the man. The Scholar, the King._

Soon enough the one who would see Remnant set on the path to the Present would arrive. And when he did it was with a purple star. Ozpim found a ship that was crashed. The place would become a village in the future, but as of now it was the place where Ozpim went among the wreckage of a small vessel built for a wealthy person or someone who was seeking to have a ship that could evade a customs entity that would want to intercept it. The man who stepped from the wreck was well dressed and then again he was humble. Ozpim gazed with his gifts and he could see that he was destined for great things and he possesd the knowledge that was sore need.

"Call me the Old Scholar."

And the Old Scholar of Vale he would become known to those he came across, the storms that ravaged the heavens did not allow for void travel and the reactor of the ship that the old Scholar came in was beyond rebuilding and the people had grown used to the use of Dust Power. The volatile substance was the best gaurnteed thing and it could be put to use in the odd piece of metal to make a blade or to foucs a gift.

The Old Scholar was a powerful wizard, he seemed almost otherworldly in how he could fight. Perfection embodied in the flesh as he cut swathes through the Grimm hordes that he and Ozpim would face. He spoke of the future, Ozpim knew he did one day.

" _The Time draws near my friend, the Human Race is not yet through this time of trial and I have forseen my role in what will happen. While we have weakend the witch she will return. And I will not be here but I will send you my son. He will finish what I began here because the four lights of hope are dependant on the hope of Humanity. And with the light lit on this world perhaps there shall be a dealing with of other things in the unreality. Keep the ancient lamp on the moon lit and then light another to show that Humanity still dwells upon this world."_

And Ozpim discovered that there were four shrines, chapels built to the memories of the original maidens. Almost religious in nature but they did not seem for empty ritual. They were giant, in size but hidden by sorcery and the four maidens spirits seemed to find rest here. And there was a letter that was left for Ozpim. The Old Scholar had sent it by way of a messenger when the system of Academies and the Hunters Oath was written out. To serve all of the world rather than one of four nations.

 _My Old Friend_

 _Don't fear for me, and don't worry for me. The shrines I have left are for four Knights who shall be drawn from my bloodline. I shall honor what I have said. Have hope that deliverance is nigh. Always keep one eye to the heavens, for the storms that plague us all shall pass. And then be ready for there shall be trials aplenty. The Four Knights shall ensure that the past does not happen again. When there is four maidens and four Knights. And more._

 _Four Consorts to watch their hearts._

 _Four Champions to watch over their realms._

 _And friend and cofidants to counsel them._

 _You will know when all is aligned._

Ozpim would do his best in the time that was given. Before the end, he would try to bring the end closer to the present. Salem though was gathering her strength and her influence was insidious and terrible. She always had a plan, plans within plans and more plans. She was going to be hard to defeat.

And as such Ozpim would wait. And fight, and Hope.


	2. Chapter 2

_**RWBY:STAR KNIGHTS OF REMNANT**_

 _ **DRAFT-NOT FINAL-DRAFT**_

 _ **DISCLAIMER:THIS IS A WORK THAT IS NOT FOR PROFIT, I OWN NOTHING**_

 _ **DRAMATIS PERSONAE**_

 **Imperium of Man**

 _ **II Legion**_

 _Artouron Allanor-Primarch of the II Legiones Astartes_

 _Davien Federon -1_ _st_ _Captain and Polemarch, Equerry to the Primarch_

 _Cajus Tuleran-Navarch of the Fleet_

 _Caldos-Sergent, 1_ _st_ _Company_

 _Kyril 16_ _th_ _Company Assault Sargent_

 _Gregorian-Dreadnought-15_ _th_ _Company Leviathan Pattern_

 _Andrei Kazlkov-16_ _th_ _Company Battle Brother_

 _Antigonas Peleander-Captian 15_ _th_ _Company_

 _Agolan Dypho-Champion 15_ _th_ _Company_

 _Peldanos Dilaran-Chief Apothecary II Legion_

 _Adiro Valak-Chief Librarian of the II Legion_

 _Apollos Polemarch-8_ _th_ _Battalion_

 _ **II Legion Support Forces**_

 _Alian DeKazan-Shipmaster, Protector_

 _Aydos Marceus-Lord Commander, Imperial Army_

 _ **House Leofric**_

 _ **Order of Remembrancers**_

 _Pidyl Cavara_

 _ **Adeptus Mechanicus**_

 _Cyro Kypas-Arch Magos_

 _Avlas Miltian-Princeps, Wrathful Blade, Flame Hammers Titan Legion_

 _ **WORLD OF REMNANT**_

 _Atlas_

 _ **Atlas Academy**_

 _James Ironwood-General, Academy Headmaster and Armed Forces commander_

 _Flynn Coal-Huntsman, Leader of Team FNKY_

 _Nyan Katt-Huntress, Faunus, Member of Team FNKY_

 _ **Atlesian Armed Forces**_

 _Winter Schnee-Atlesian Specialist, Elder sister of Weiss Schnee_

 _ **Schnee Dust Company/Family**_

 _-Father of Weiss and Winter Schnee, Head of the Schnee Dust Company_

 _ **Atlestians of Note**_

 _Dr Poledina-Creator and father of Penny_

 _Penny Poledina-Android_

 _Vale_

 _ **Beacon Academy**_

 _Ozpim-Headmaster_

 _Glynda Goodwitch-Dean of Students_

 _Peter Port-Teacher of Grimm Biology_

 _Bartholomew Oobleck-Teacher of World History_

 **TEAM RWBY**

 _Ruby Rose-Leader of team RWBY_

 _Wiess Schnee-Team Member_

 _Blake Belladonna-Team Member,Faunus, Former White Fang Agent_

 _Yang Xiao Long-Team Member, Sister of Ruby Rose_

 **TEAM JNPR**

 _Jaune Arc-Leader of JNPR_

 _Nora Valkrie-Member of Team JNPR_

 _Pyrrha Nikos-Member of Team JNPR_

 _Lei Ren-Member of Team JNPR_

 **TEAM CFVY**

 _Coco Adel-Leader of Team CFVY_

 _Fox Alistair-Member of Team CFVY_

 _Velvet Scarlitana-Member of Team CFVY, Faunus_

 _Yatsuhasi Daichi-Member of Team CFVY_

 **TEAM CRDL**

 _Cardin Winchester_

 _Russel Thrush_

 _Dove Bronzewing_

 _Sky Lark_

 **VALE PEOPLE OF NOTE**

 _Amber Valewood, Fall Maiden_

 _Taiyang-Father of Ruby and Yang, Former Huntsman_

 _Vacuo_

 _ **Shade Academy**_

 **Team SSSN**

S _un Wukong, Faunus, Leader of Team SSSN_

 _Sage-Member of Team SSSN_

 _Scarlet-Member of Team SSSN_

 _Neptune Vasilias-Member of Team SSSN_

 _Mistral_

 _ **Haven Academy**_

 _White Fang_

 _Adam Taurus-White Fang Leader_

 _Grimm Council_

 _Salem-Witch_

 _Cinder Fall-Witches Apprentice, Leader of Team CEMN_

 _Emerald Sustrai-Member of Team CEMN_

 _Mercury Black-Member of Team CEMN_

 _Underworld_

 _Junior-Bartender in Vale, Information Broker_

 _Roman Torchwick-Mastermind, of Vale_

 _Neo Politan-Assassin, Thief, of Vale, Member of Team CEMN_

 _ **PART 1-UPENDED CHESSBOARD**_

 _ **In war one must be ready for anything. In the issue of Crusade it is critical for Imperial forces including the Legions to be ready for almost any conceivable situation.**_

 _ **-Artouron Allanor, Primarch of the II Legion**_

 _ **ONE**_

 _Arrival/Qualifications/Stars in the Night_

The ships broke from the warp, many hundreds of them. An ancient beacon had pulsed out a warning into the void. And answering it was the race that had been asked for. Remnant was a world of Humanity and the fleet that had arrived in answer to the beacon was of Humanity. The Imperium of Man had arrived. A legion of Angels Some would say. A Legion of true warriors, the heroic First Swords legion of the space marines, the defenders of Mankind who fought all comers and were made for only victory. The ships that broke from the swirling maelstrom of the warp were massive. The smallest was easily the size of a city block. The largest was twin battle ships that formed the heart of the fleet close to the hulking battle carriers that held much as . The stars were their oceans and the 411th Expeditionary Fleet was easily the most powerful force that could cross the stars to this place. One of many beacons in the sky full of war to bring back the light of dawn from the depths of fell fury and fear.

The II, Second Legiones Astartes, the Second Space Marine Legion moved towards the beacon. Ships exited the warp in clusters as the gathering under the auspices of the flagship and the superhuman lord of the Legion.

"All reporting in my Lord, no losses."

The domed chamber of the bridge was abuzz with the business of organizing the fleet. The 411th had picked up the beacon two systems away and the fact that the date was several years, several millennia old was all the indication that was needed. The decision to engage in the compliance, at least an investigation meant that the II Legion would take their ships to this system. The world was perhaps empty.

"Very good Cajus, prepare to launch probes."

"Yes sire."

Several giants were the ones that were in charge. The Navarch of the Fleet, Cajus Tularen was the one standing close to the mortal crew. The next was Davien Federon, former commander of the II Legion, the First Swords and now Equerry and First Captain. Polemarch came with the seniority over the captain of the Second Company. He was eclipsed by the one seated on the command throne. He was majestic, the lord of forty-eight worlds. The son of a man who was called a God an Immortal being who sought to reunite the scattered worlds of man, the master of a legion that was one of His most favored.

Artouron Allanor, Gene-sire, Nomarch, Lord. He was beautiful to behold, like all his brothers he was forged of arcane magic and ancient gene-splicing, the result of work that was quite arcane. Light of stars was chained and made flesh some of the remembrancers proclaimed, his hair was a black that could only be duplicated by the void of space. The eyes that he looked at people with were blue-black that was cooling and yet full of fire. He was pale as paper or the snow on his brother's world of Fenris. One could be forgiven for thinking that he was like Konrad Curze, the Night King and lord of the 8th Legion, the feared and terrible Night Lords.

Allanor boasted a more reasonable disposition to many than his brother who was accursed with the visions that would cause hm to act out in a most violent manner. He was not clairvoyant in much of any way. He was a master strategist and a diplomat. He was a Primarch in looks, and in bearing, called one who would weep for the innocent. He had wept as he had seen the wretchedness humans visited on one another and the wretchedness of tyranny under aliens. Monsters, beasts, tyrants, quite often they were one and the same.

The flagship was called _Protector,_ a mighty vessel that was decorated like a galley of the ancient oceans of terra. She was decorated with the Palantine Aquila, the device of the immortal emperor of Man. She was decorated with great warding eyes and a ram bow that ended in a array of sensorts and weapons, her flanks bristiled with cannon. Displayed in prominence with honor was the downward pointed sword and Lambada that showed the legion to be master swordsmen and knights without peer.

On the bridge the Primarch looked into the depths of the system. The hololith in front of his command chair was developing with the launch of probes. The arrows of metal separated from the command ship on columns of fire hurling them forward, ever forward into the cold darkness. There were not many planets that were here. It was a very impressive system, a place of moons and worlds. The beacon.

"Lord Primarch…"

The immense doors swung open at the back of the bridge to reveal a small hunched man of the Mechanicum. Arch Magos Cyro Kypas was hardly a man with the immense numbers of arms in his back and long robes that covered his whole body. Red lights glimmered where eyes should be. Many more eyes than the two that were allowed by the forces of nature to the Human species, he defied the forces of nature with . The Lord of Magea, Acrocelestias sole forge world was someone who had taken charge of the Mechanicum, the titans, the tech-adepts and a great many skitarri, the tech soldiers of the mechanicum.

"Yes Arch Magos?" The Primarch rose and turned to face the tech priest. "My lord with the consent of the Master of Signal I was able to scan other frequencies. The beacon that we picked up is not the only thing that we have discovered. There is a beacon broadcasting to any alien life. It is not as powerful as the original but it is very much a recent thing. A live broadcast.

"Live." Cajus Tularan, flanked by the mortal ship master Alian DeKazan looked at the Arch-magos. He was a space marine, his long cloak was void black and it was decorated with the stars. He smiled at the idea of bringing a world into the Imperium man that would not be infested with Orcs or would refuse the offer of the Imperium. Then again the II legion had run into a great many ambushes when they had gone into the negotiation hall. There was much that the Navarch enjoyed of the fighting. His green eyes were mirth tinted and his short brown hair was greying. He was relatively young. But he was a space marine so the only way he would pass on would be death in combat, that was the most likely sort of thing.

"Well, is it a message of peace?"

"Yes sire." The Magos looked at the Primarch. "With your permission my lords I wish to play it."

Allanor nodded, his curiosity was piqued. There was a data-slate withdrawn from the folds of Kypas's robe. There was a press of a button and then a voice was played over the speakers built into the ceiling. Looking at the star map that was forming on the Hololith and then again on the main pict-screen. There was a long line of planets, still the readings of the sensors were coming in and being processed.

 _We are the People of Remnant. We ask only to have peace with those who are among the stars._

"Peace, well My lord we have a world that is in need of help. The beacon indicates that there is a massive failure of their fusion reactors and they have an infestation of monsters of some kind. We may need to call on the Adeptus Terra to give us some Medicae flotillas."

Allanor, looking at the developing holopic was intrigued by the world. He was a shrewd commander and he was a very sound strategist. He looked at the badges of the II Legion that were the flotillas.

"Send the 15th Company, the whole of the 8th…they are forward."

"Yes sire. Ill relay to Captain Peleander."

The 15th Company of the II Legion, of the 8th Battalion was 500 hundred strong in contrast to the usual 100, a Battalion of the II was about the same size as a Chapter with a thousand battle brothers that were well trained and they were very much experienced in the art of war. And one of them was Agolan Dypho. Lance Sargent Dypho , Champion of the 15th company and a skilled soldier. Arguably he would be worth the captaincy but in his way, was an old friend Captain Peleander. The man was his brother and he had been named to the post of a lance sargent for his gallantry in leading a squad of tactical brothers. He had led them well from the time of 411-33 to the time of 411-60, now he was second in command of 500 brothers who had done much.

The Crusade had called to him when he had seen the vid-cast of the Nomarch and his father. Where one was calm, and cool, one was warm and great. Dypho was no pysker, he was a skilled fighter. Young men and boys from the aristocracy as well as the common folk had come to the call of their King. Dypho remembered his parents.

Sitting in his small cabin with the armoring rack holding his modified Mark III Power armor he was a very large man. Some said it was because his father was a Bardusian. A big honest merchant who had children and had expected something out of his second son, but not what he had seen.

 _Agolan was scarred under his robes from the surgeons knife. The apothecaries had taken a vested interest in the young man and he had passed all the trials to join the Legion. To travel with the Nomarch among the heavens and bring the light of the Emperor to countless worlds was truly a great honor His family had not expected and so he had come home. Proof that he was now an Astartes warrior._

 _His scars had closed, the apothecaries had insisted on that, he could move and fight if he had too though with his family living in Seigeon there was not much of a risk. Course people were attacked, there was crime but the city arbiters were good at keeping a lid on it. He walked the streets and got a reaction that he would not expect._

 _Awe_

 _Fear_

 _Astartes were soldiers, far above the common Acrocelestian Army soldier or the ones that were coming from Terra and the other worlds. The look on the faces of people in his old…._

" _Agolan, I need you on the bridge my friend …Polemarch is briefing us."_

"And I am on my way."

The space marine closed the link and headed out of his room. Looking at himself in the mirror. He saw his thin face with a short beard and big green eyes. The kind that had filled with tears when…"No, that is the past. "But why was he feeling it now. The shock on all his family's faces. Not that they had expected him to come home but the issue was what he did to….

"Calm." Dypho had mastery over his body and his mind. He wore the robes of a legionary as what was the way they dressed when they were not clad in armor. He had stopped at a few way stations as the 411th in its long route across the west met with other fleets of the Imperium and other legions. Dypho had a reputation as a man who could snap.

He remembered meeting Sevatarion, First Captain of the 8th Legion as the two Primarchs spoke of a campaign.

" _I know what you did." The Night Lord said, his accent similar to the Caucaus wastes. You have the fire of us inside you…you know it."_

 _Dyhpo had been too, appalled to protest. The VIII Legion was a band of monsters. And yet he could not shake the resemblance between the two primarchs. Allanor himself was capable of the utmost brutality if the reports were true._

"No, I will not dwell on that, my purpose is to move humanity forward. To seek the enemies of Man and I shall destroy them."

The halls of the battleship _Theseus_ were something that was Spartan, in his robes of blue and black Dypho walked past frescoes and murals of his forbears. In the pictures the Blue-Black clad warriors fought against the horrors that had enslaved a great many worlds and the tyrants that had seen a great many others brought low. _There is always much to be done, the work of an Astartes is to deal with the enemies of humanity. To save worlds is what I was made to do._

He walked past the serfs and the crew. The company deck was somewhat quiet with the brothers of the 15th in the daily time of mediatation or in the fighting halls drilling with their various weapons or in the Librarius, the Company boasted many of the better battle psykers of the II Legion. They were quite good, Dypho did not fear them as the World Eaters or the Death Guard did.

 _Astartes are beyond fear, we are scions of fury, war incarnate._

He thought of an old friend from the Ultramarines when they had crossed paths with the 12th Expedition and the 75th Company. The sargent had been Thorbenus Alcander, he was Thorbenus Alcander and he had been one of the best friends he could have had.

 _First Swords and Ultramarines were victorious and the city had been taken. The victory of the Imperium over the local tyrants had been bought with the blood of his brothers. The company had suffered some losses but Pelelander was still alive no thanks to his own capacity for violence and the diligent work of Dypho. There was something that was in the air, it was screaming._

 _Alcander sprinted through the streets, this district catered to the mercantile classes of this world. An ident beacon showed that there was one. Dypho was here. The young man was…_

" _What has gripped you Kinsman." Alcander shook his head, he was concerned about the other space marine._

 _The woman who was a young mother clutched her baby in the corner as the two giants were arguing. Her husband had been drunken and she had been beaten. An Astartes had heard her scream and had arrived and he had…her husbands shattered body was lying in the corner as the second warrior approached. Both of them were officers._

Dyphos secret was safe with the ultramarine sargent who was discrete as they talked to Peleander after. Dypho felt strange that he was remembering that damn event on this day. He was in the elevator, the large lift made for astartes as well as the odd piece of cargo. He looked at the ceciling willing his hearts to stop beating with the remembrance of the incident, the second one after his sister. He was very troubled by his actions. _I am troubled. So very troubled._

 _Flaws must be mastered, remove the habits of the past._

The bridge took not but a few minutes to reach. The great expanse of room always awed the . The officers of the Company and the battalion were present gathered before the command throne as the Polemarch looked at the Hololith. Appolos was a very capable officer, hence he was charged with the command of the 8th Battalion of of the older units in the II. He had been captain of the 16th for a long while and he was now the Polemarch. Peleander was there too. The captain wore full plate and the hololith was showing that the 8th Battalion was advancing its ships.

"We are to scout out the system, the probes can only tell us so Much." Appolos looked at the officers assembled. The man was dark haired and tan, every inch the ocean worlder. And one of the people who knew what Dypho had done. He was quick to welcome the Lance Sargent and then they would continue discussing their route into the system. With Dypho watching the planets.

Besides Remnant, which was called 411-90 in the tradition of the worlds, brought to compliance. The 90th world that was brought into the Imperium by the 411th expeditionary fleet. There was quite a few planets in the system, well there was a few and they were dead for the most part or they were gas giants. Dypho stood by the consoles that were manned by mortals and pallid servitors, the crew of the _Theseus_ under the shipmistress a woman who could kill a rembrancer who had his fill of wine with a flick of her finger. Or that was what Dypho had heard. She was not worth naming, she was not of interest to him. He looked out at the asteroids that darted past the windows.

"We have much that must be done." Peleander stepped over to his friend. The two warriors were looking at stars and asteroids and the escorts for the _Thesueus_ and the other ships that formed the backbone of the flotilla of the 8th Battalion. Appolos was off to one side giving orders to the Treiarch and the ship mistress.

"On the subject of you, there is much I wish to discuss."

"Yes brother-captian." Dypho seemed like some chastised sort of child almost. Even for an Astartes over a century old he was quite the looker. He had seen some slave girls. _Why am I thinking about this?_

 _He removed his helm looking at the chaos, the planets military officers were nobles, decadent nobles who were quite inclined towards urges of the flesh. So the 15_ _th_ _when they had stormed the capital had found thsmelves fighting through a district of establishments of ill repute to some cultures and fine places of entertainment to others._

 _To Dypho as he pulled off his helm, the dead flesh construct on the ground before him he looked at the women._

 _Such women._

 _Women of beauty who were made for service, perhaps. There was much that Dypho had learned. 411-83 was turning out to be one of the more interesting…the women. All, clones….so much like her._

"Are you all right Brother Andromo?'

The Acrocelestian term for his rank cut through the fog of the memories. _Why was the memories coming now._ "I am fine Captian, I am not compromised."

"I know what you did, as does Federon, the Polemarch and the 1st Captian of the 8th Legion."

"How did Sevetarion of all people learn." 

Peleanders lips pressed together, his scars were twisting. "I may have mumbled something. It was Federon who made to strike him."

 _The Night Lords had summoned the Second Legion. The Astartes of the II were known to be a brutal lot. But, this was something that was beyond all that they had expected and the look on the Primarchs face. The Primarch snarled as he looked at the towers of the starport, the corpses, all the innocents…._

"But let us not dwell on the past." Peleander said. "Armor up and be ready, we are one thousand battle brothers at the fore of the greatest legion."

Dypho smiled. "That is the Luna Wolves. Or the Third legion." 

"Id beg leave to differ from the Emperor himself."

"Really?'

"Maybe."

Pydil Cavara had wanted to travel the stars since his earliest days in the Iberian hives of Europa. He was a painter, writer and a imagist. He documented cultures that the Imperium came across and the 411th was the fleet of the emperors most favored legion for they had walked with him into the fires of war. He was a man who wrote a great many test and who read and took pictures as much as he was involved with the formulation of the histories and the organization of his fellows. His apartments were small, a stuio, a bedroom and a dining and a kitchen room. He had other facilities as well.

Looking out the large picture porthole he could see that the fleet was moving further into the system. New worlds always were something interesting. Cavara had been with the 411th for not that long. His love of documenting the expeditionary fleets and their campaigns had seen him taking pictures of space marines and the Imperial Army. To capture the moments that would live on the minds of the ancient warriors and the histories that he would put to the archives. Aboard the _Protector_ a ship that at in excess of 19000 Meters in length a glorianna class was rated as the premier ship of the expeditionary fleets. Designed to operate deep into the vastness of the void.

"Servitor." Cavara turned to the servitor beside his desk, the palid stone faced bulter was an Acrocelestian model that was given to the ones that the Primarch favored.

 _Cavara looked around the reception chamber. The Primarch of the II was like silver where Gulliman shown like Gold. Humble and jovial to the aura of Lord Fulgrim that showed the arrogance his detractors called out._

 _Allanor sat behind his large desk looking at the mortal man, a short mortal artist who ranked with Serena D'Angelus and Kelan Roget as a great artist and he was something like Euphrati Keeler as an imagist. Though he uniquely gathered data. And wrote a history._

" _Pydil Cavara, I hope that you shall find a good place here." Allanor said._

"Servitor, acess and display data about our location."

"Negative, not authorized at this point."

The servitor spoke with a raspy tone, the machine was quite efficient. Cavara, a thin man, scholar, wearing a plain brown robe and he was pale with short grey hair. He raised an eyebrow his dark eyes were full of annoyance at this minor interruption with the next campaign beginning.

"Who may I speak with get acess to the desired data."

"Ship Master Alian DeKazan, the Master of Signal, the Navarch of the Fleet."

The Servitor knew the command structure of the expeditionary fleet. The Remembrancers aboard the _Protector_ were the most numerous contingient. They battled sometimes for the favor of the Astartes. Cavara had been one of the few who had impressed the primarch. He remembered that the lord of the West was not easily that impressed and there were few who had done it. Cavara looked on the wall and there was a picture that he had taken with the Lord of Acrocelestia and the Lord of Ultramar at a concert surrounded by the Invictus and Agryspaides. The Calladon Compliance was barely over. But even demi-gods desired that there be culture to celebrate the imperium. What a night it had been.

 _Cavara sat looking down from the Remembrancers box, he could see Kelan Roget a few seats away. He was interested as was the whole of the Order that was here tonight. The landscape artist looked to be fresh from the surface of Calladon._

" _Ah, Cavara dear friend."_

" _Roget." Cavara found that the praise Guiliman had given the landscapist to be something not entirely worth his while. It inflated his ego and it was something that Cavara disliked. An inflated ego made for a man who was stupid and vain and trusted that his name would carry the weight he needed._

" _A fine concert eh? This Calladon woman has brought two Primarchs out."_

 _And looking down from the Remberancers box and gazing upon the lower levels towards the main floors you could see them. Two giants among officers of the legions. The two princes, West and East were here. They wore robes as did some officers with others favoring their power armor and various decorations that would be worn when the warriors need not proclaim themselves the leaders on the field of battle. It was the pride of the Imperium, two of the greatest of the Emperors sons and a slew of their officers and their elite guards._

 _But what would awe even the Primarch of the II and his brother of the XIII which would be immortalized in a picture would be the woman of red hair and siren tones. Allanor was captured on film his face awestruck. Guiliman seemed to have a knowing smile._

Dypho whirled, the single edge straight sword flashing as he danced almost, his power armor not the slightest hindrance as he fought with the bladed forms of training servitors. These were not some shamblers, they moved fast, not nearly fast enough to avoid the blade that arced and sliced. The swordsman behind it through himself fully into the attack with his focus on becoming one, his body loosening unconsciously as the servitors had come out. The drum of his hearts became like drums dictating the pace of the dance. He was elegance and power. His face was bare and he did not smile, nor was he enraged.

 _As the primarch dictates, so shall it be. Seek balance before striking for the stroke that is struck from a point of stability shall not err, it shall always find its mark. It shall always kill or be the precursor to the kill._

The training cage was a very large one for a single warrior of the astartes, there was a deck that boasted Tourney rings, the rings where honor-grudges between legionaries could be settled with their weapons. Unlit power blades and the simple swords that the II Legion was known to wield in combat. Dyphos weapon was much of this sort of thing, a single edged weapon in the style of his primarch, two blades, one from Ferrus Manus of the X Legion, the rock-soild and implacable Iron Hands and another was made by Vulkan the Lord of Nocturne, the father of the relentless and fire wielded XVIII Legion, the Salamanders.

Dypho had made his blade himself upon the completion of his training. As a common tactical battle brother he had carried it into a great many battles. Now he was a company champion, Lance Sergeant, nominally in command of a unit of fifty battle brothers but Peleander had insisted that he be his second in command and he would not let the captain down.

If not for. As he danced almost he remembered that first time, Peleander had been named a sergeant straight out of training and he remembered being brought before the captain of the 15th Company as they made their way to terra.

 _The old Terran groaned a bit, Acrcoelestians and terrans were bonding but there was something about the young battle brother. He had gone home on liberty for a time to meet with his family before he left. He had found something amiss. And he had dealt with a man._

" _You shall not face censure Brother Dypho. But you shall not have favor for promotion."_

 _Peleander nodded in affirmation at this, his sergeant and training comrade was concerned for his brother in arms and now by blood._

The dance ended with the destruction of the last servitor. Dypho exited the box a hooded serf stood to one side.

"Your armor functions properly sire?'

"Yes, yes it does."

"I am merely your servant."

The menials and Serfs were not slaves, families were bound to serve the legion, people joined the crews of the ships. People who had decided that their lot on the worlds that the First Swords had brought to compliance and had decided to travel.

"Wonder who we will meet on this one."

The sound of her heeled boots clicking on the stone floor of the locker room lent a sort of clarity to her mind. Pyrrha Nikos would put on a show as she had done in the arena to the roars of the crowds in her native Mistral. Now it was before those she called colleague and friend. Her fellow students, the Amity Cup was the most prestigious tournament and if she could compete and win she would be all greater. She was a hero to many little girls, she saw it when she exited the arena after a fight. In eyes of the children she could do no wrong. She was hailed as the great hope of the next generation of Hunters and Huntresses.

 _Here I go. Once more unto the adulation and the pedestal._ If one could ask Pyrrha honestly she would tell you that she hated being the champion but she felt that since she had the kind of bearing and conduct that the parents approved of she was worthy of being called champion. She was a poster girl and loath to relish and admit it. She was a very potent warrior and her gift of Polarity allowed her command over metal. She did not apply it in the way that people would expect. She had been taught by masters and she was a warrior born.

She walked with her weapons across her back, Milo and Akouo were extensions of herself. She could snap her fingers almost and she could have them on her arm and in her hands and then woe betide the foe. And she may well have taken an apathetic attiude for the fight to come if not for her opponents. Team CRDL, the four worst bullies in the whole of beacon. They were worthy only of a beatdown and Pyrrha would deliver it.

 _For Jaune, for Velvet. For justice._

Pyrrhas biggest confusion was why team CRDL had not been expelled in disgrace for their disgraceful conduct. There was simply no reason in the eyes of Pyrrha Nikos why those four should be Huntsmen. In her opinion such bigotry had no place. Maybe with today she would make them leave through the sheer humiliation of being beaten in the ring by a girl.

Blake Belladonna watched the match begin, Pyrrha was impressive as always and the fact that Cardin had tormented a man she had cared about. At least that is what it seemed to Blake sometimes. Caring did not mean she was in love with him.

 _Well she could love him, but how likely is that._

 _Not very._ Sprang immeadiately to mind, the woman cared about him a lot, in her time staying up late as was her habit she had heard the sound of weapons echoing from the rooftops. They were friends who were involved with training. Juane led JNPR and Pyrrha was content to follow. Though no doubt, Adam, _Don't think about him, Don't. He is more than likely dead._

Pyrrha was down on the arena floor and she was winning as she wove and ducked as much as her weapons were striking out. The power that she had was quite sublte. The raven haired girl looked at the combat that was taking place on the arena floor. It was far from breathtaking and it was engaging all the same with the elegance of her style.

Cardin was the biggest threat even as his teammates, Lark, Russel, Dove that order was the level of threat. With their leader employ his mace and its lethal thermobaric properities Pyrrha would have her work cut out for her.

"Go Pyrrha."

Ruby Rose, red headed, silver eyed and very short and the leader of Team RWBY was a very vocal person. Yang Xiao Long, her sister sat at her side as well as Weiss Schnee. The four girls were first years and they were proud to be here. Blake, she was tired and she felt that ache in her bones. She had been up for a while, Yang seated on the other side of Ruby was concerned. She had been looking her worriedly ever since she had caught Blake looking at a file when she was supposed to be sleeping.

 _We talked about this haven't we Blake, haven't we?_

Something told her that the issues she had with Roman Torchwich were not just with Roman Torchwick. They were with somebody else maybe. She watched the match and was impressed. Behind her she could hear the two Atlesians, Mercury and Emerald. Two of the more casually minded then again meeting the Huntsmen from Atlas, they had been well dressed in uniforms and yet they had a very sound sort of dress as they were like every other one.

Yang had been to the movies when she was little. And well she had not liked people talking.

 _Well, we have a nice fight, I suppose you would be talking about it. But I have things on my mind._

The match ended with a massive slam as Pyrrha valuted through the air with her Akouo providing leverage for her strike. Milo was wrapped around Cardin Winchesters neck. There was pain and then there was Cardin Winchester getting his comeuppance as the sound of him hitting the floor was greated with silence. There was much to be said for the skills of Pyrrha. She was truly the best one could see, there was something very good about her.

"Anyone else? Ms Belladonna?" Ventured Goodwitch, the deans blue eyes swept the crowd. She was a very skilled fighter herself and she had demonstrated her skills to Ruby. One night before the little girl had come to beacon. She had fought well against Roman Torchwick, the first time that team RWBY had fought the man and his White Fang terrorist allies was second time that the little girl had done it.

Blake declined, the cat-eared Faunus looked at the floor. Then Mercury Black raised his hand.

"Ill do it…if no one else will." He stood up with his face revealing a smirk of confidence.

"Well then, Mr Black." Said Goodwytch as the silver haired fair skinned Atlesian youth stood up and descended from the bleachers to the floor of the arena. He was an elegant fighter. His preferred style centered around the two shotguns that were integrated into what could be his boots. He knew differently with an itch that never seemed to go away.

 _Damn you dad, I am quite often in pain because of you. You and your damned ego. Son of the Great Marcus Black. Well dad we never were that great you damn bastard._

He had memories of the night that his father had accosted him, all that training had become the preperations for that night of the tying down and agony as he was cut apart by his father. The man was a very poor surgeon. But he had to hand it to the man, his training had allowed him to survive and to meet her. To meet Cinder and get his life back on track.

He stood facing Pyrrha across the arena. _You shall have to be dealt with, the lady has a plan that you could well be a problem for. We shall have to see about what sort of threat._

When Goodwytch gave the word Mercury advanced warily, the years of experience and his fathers training in unarmed combat ironically being something that he now found useful as he began testing Pyrrha Nikos with the odd roundhouse kick. She mostly depended on her shield and her speed. His brain racked that information in for him and his comrades to discuss later. He was impressed. Pyrrha Nikos put up a good fight as with a thought he used his shotguns. The weapons plugged into his legs allowing them to be fired with a simple pluse. She was very good. After a few dozen blows were exchanged and she withdrew a bit only to come back again he was impressed.

 _So you're maybe not what she thought. Interesting._

Quickly his hand came up and he spoke.

"I forfeit."

Goodwitch raised an eyebrow and Pyrrha was agape with shock. Not that anybody, _Nobody has done that. No one._ He looked at Glynda and her frown. Mercury worried that he was found out. Or well, he would be able to stand up to questioning but then again there was Ozpim and he would not be the one to get on the wrong side of. He looked at Glynda as she chided.

"Well Mr Black I hope that you will take more time in the chosing of your opponents."

 _Well at least she did not; I am an Atlesian cadet so I doubt the woman would be able to have me brought before him._

The grey haired man, the headmaster of Beacon and a veteran huntsman, Ozpim was a very worried man. Well, not worried but he had secrets, for one he knew the truth of the world. While legends told of how man had fallen, he had been brought up to the real issue. His old friend who had departed Gaia colony thousands of years ago had been in contact with him. His gifts beyond the Chronokenetic came into the world of telepathy. He had been trained and had trained the man. And he had contacted him with a message.

 _Rest assured my old friend, I have a surprise in store for our mutual enemy. I have assets that she will not expect. There is much to be done on your world. I have seen a future that is great. But we must always fight._

There were five thousand years of the darkness and the chaos. Ozpim remembered how he had been involved with the recovery. The emergence of the Maidens, the four women who had fought hard for order. The first Huntsmen had been their knights. But they had felt that they were destined for great things and the man who said the pieces were coming into play had been there when Ozpim in the ethereal void had informed him

 _The assets I prmosed are inbound old friend. Don't worry about the witch if my son does his job._

Ozpim knew that Atlas was also watching the skies. The astronomical programs that were going on in Atlas were perhaps dangerous. Mass panic would feed into the hands of the witch. The woman had known about his old friend who had left for Earth, as things had gotten bad. She was the real threat and well.

Ozpim opened his mind, he could sense that the ships had vanished from the void and were in the system.

 _Soon enough, the Witch will make her move. She always does and she will strike. But I have a ace in the hole. A secret piece._

 _The chessboard has been upended. Well and truly upended._

Ozpims office was on top of the tower; the Cross-Continental Transmit System was something massive. Though in his long life Ozpim had seen a lot of things. The stars were something that was. He knew things that would set him apart from his colleagues. The fact that he knew someone that was out there who was vastly powerful.

He leaned back in his chair and looked at the ceiling with the glowing lights and the ticking gears. Even with his depth of experience the sound of the clock. Slowly ticking to when he would show his hand.

 _It had better not be the angry one. That one….he would destroy the Grimm yes but he would then purge the planet….the man I hope for. Something, the 3_ _rd_ _, the 16_ _th_ _Not the 12th._

"Headmaster. The Vale Qualifications."

Glynda Goodwitch was the one who kept thing running when he was not available. She had been overseeing the tourney. A few rounds here and there and the pool was taken. She stepped forward towards his desk.

"Headmaster." She repeated, there was a flash of concern on her face. Hers was great beauty and he had remembered how she had cared for the Atlesian commander General Ironwood. The man was a good soldier; he did not trust the man though with the implications of how long he had endeavored to oppose Salem.

"Ah yes, let me see." He sipped from an every present mug of something hot. It tended to vary and the man was an appreciative person towards all kinds of flavor. The headmaster smiled. "I see RWBY and JNPR will be representing us?"

"Yes Headmaster." To the statement about Mercury Black he merely raised an eyebrow. "Interesting…most interesting but I am quite occupied with the business of running this school. And yet there is also the issues of our, you know what the patient downstairs is."

Glynda knew about the issue of the Maidens. Once myth and legend to her she was now one of a privileged few that knew the whole truth about the maidens. She knew that the Fall Maiden, Amber Valewood was in a life support unit in the vaults under beacon Academy. Ozpim was one of the few people who had, he remembered. Once he had sent Goodwytch.

 _The place was beautiful, the shrine soared around him, the domes would suggest that they were in a forest if the trees in the place. It seemed to be a garden. Ozpim was awed at the sight; in his long life he had rarely seen anything like it. The light was warm and streamed in through the amber glass. He was at peace here and yet he could sense a martial feeling. His friend was an astral body as he walked through the double doors._

" _They compelled me old friend, the Fall, the Winter and the Summer and Spring. I have a feeling that my, I know what I will do for them." His old friend smiles and he looks at the altar at the far end with the box._

" _Only they who will come can wield what I have interred here. What they have interred here"_

The headmaster was quite concerned. Those shrines were a gift and he knew that, he had a feeling that the ripples in space itself signaled that the ones his old friend had spoken of were close. The ones who would turn the tide and the son of his old friend who was quite powerful and dangerous, his princes were most interesting from what Ozpim had heard which he had to admit was very little.

In the Kingdom of Atlas, a kingdom of technology and of power, the greatest military of the four kingdoms that guarded the human species from the fury of the Grimm there was an observatory. The Academy of Sciences was a great place of learning and knowledge that was looking at the skies. They were looking at the pictures that the telescope had taken. There were signs of concern and they were in the face of a great many scientists.

A woman spoke first. "We have something interesting."

A man nodded and then he spoke in response he was very excited. "The Beacon has brought aliens my friends."

"If Aliens are what is coming then we are doomed." Said another, fear was written large on his features. With him were several younger students. One of them, a woman who spoke up, and her voice was shaking and she was concerned.

"I firmly believe that we should inform general Ironwood, the world needs to know."

The head scientist was something quite rational and also quite stupid. If the hindsight of the Star fall Battle was any indication maybe Ironwood should have been told. There was a great silence. The telescope loomed over them, an open hatch that was exposed to the skies. The stars did not show the purple pinpricks of light that according to ancient legends heralded the arrival of something that would see the world burn or be saved. Purple stars in legend were something of a mystery.

One could say that the legend was something, the giant ships of mankind, the forces of Heaven punished men for arrogance and then they smote man by letting forth monsters. The might of the Grimm had seen men forced back, Dust, the salvation of the Human race had robbed the human race of their angel wings. The maidens had spoken during the time when they had seen the people found Kingdoms.

 _By the light of Purple Stars you shall know salvation from the beasts that plague you._

But these were scientists, the people were superstitious and the scientists of Atlas were the best in the world. They were what the world wanted, they wanted the light of science to see to it the world could survive and the human species would not go quietly into the night. The innovations of Atlas would see the world saved. The people would be saved from the Grimm, save from Superstition.

The halls of Beacon Academy were numerous, not just the major classrooms that were named for huntsmen and huntresses over the millennia who had taught at the Academy and fought the monsters that plagued the planet. There was the dormitories that were the homes of the students. With common areas as much as they boasted dormitories for groups of four that were the teams in training they were places where bonds were forged among teams. And yet they could also be places of Division. Where things were sorted out with the odd serious discussion. Such as what was going on between Yang Xiao Long and her friend. Blake Belladonna.

"We need to talk." Yang approached Blake; the black haired girl was curled on the couch in the common area. The dorm was relatively quiet, lunch was ongoing, and sometimes students came back to their dorms. Blake being a bookworm was one such person that came back. But the common room was empty and the young Faunus liked quiet and she looked up.

"What do you want to talk about Yang?' Blake raised an eyebrow, putting her book aside and then levering herself off her back into a sitting position. Her heeled boots hitting the floor with a clack as Yang sat down next to her the blonde girl's lilac eyes were full of concern and the black haired Faunus did not entirely expect that from her. Then again she had found that there was compassion among humanity. Much more than she had reason to realize.

 _More than he said._ She thought remembering all that her mentor had taught her about the human race. She was quite impressed with the team she had found. Her time here at Beacon was fast becoming the best time of her life. And she could look forward to many more.

"What were you doing last night. You promise to slow down about Torchwick but I woke up at what was it, 3:00pm, I was tired but you seemed wide awake enough to be looking through a file of some kind. And then I checked before I went to class and you have Police files. POLICE FILES." She said, emphasizing the last part. The betrayal in her eyes was something terrible to behold.

 _Just like…him when…NO, NO, get all thoughts of him out of your head. But Yang had that same hurt look. She looked like she wanted answers. She could not know…about how she was…_

"What happened to Slowing down Blake, you promised. And well I suppose your promises mean nothing? You promised to slow down. And I found you obbessesing. What has gotten into you.. I want to be a partner and help but I cant help if you don't tell me."

"I…don't…." Blake broke down, she broke down inside with the past she had. "I am sorry, it wont happen again. Please forgive me." She looked at the blonde with a pleading expression. Blakes body burned a bit, her skin felt hot.

"I have to go." She said, a shadow clone, her semblance in use was quite quick to cover her running away. Yang seemed saddened. 

"Blake…wait…." She took off running after her, biker boots and Blake's heels sounded down the hallway as the girls chased each other. They were partners and they had a major issue of trust. The issue was that the black haired girl was lying to the blonde. Yang was a first year as was Blake and the idea of the Hunters and the Huntresses would become like Family. There was something between them and Yang was going to find out what the hell was eating at her friend. She cared about Blake, she was a good person and whatever was gnawing her was something that Yang took personally.

"Blake….Blake, wait damn it." The blonde pleaded but Blake could not hear, the sound of laughter filled her ears. The laughter of a monster who made her life hell. She could hear his words.

 _You will always be mine; you want that more than anything. You know that you do._

 _NO, NOOOOO_ she screamed inwardly.

She ran back to their room, where they slept and talked and forged a friendship. But now it was a place where the young Faunus was desperately seeking to be alone. Her body burned, the ghosts of past pain coming back to haunt her. She was scared and she was alone. Locking the door with a moved chair she was quite, her chest heaved and she felt the tears come. She let them flow. Crying. She slipped into dreams as the sheer stress of her situation, the fear of them finding out what had happened.

 _She was not reliving the horrors of the past. She was somewhere with the laughter of the monster that had to be alive baying all around her. She looked up, the sky was slate grey and the sun was clouded. No signs of the moon which dominated the night sky. It was day and there was clouds with no rain. Blake stood warily, the laughter of the monster that had haunted her making her afraid. She was caught aback by the statues that reared out of the miasmatic mist. They were colossal._

 _Mighty warriors, one warrior, he would surely be a titan in the flesh, her eyes took in the massive suit of armor, the immense blade. It was a stone statue, she walked forward, she wore her clothes, she was without her weapon, she was alone in this place. It was a place of death, honor and wisdom. It seemed like she had woken up in a tomb. The stone under her feet was smooth and cool to the touch. She was quite scared as she heard the laughter of the monster. And then she heard a voice. Deep and sonorous, like the winds almost._

 _She looked up at the statues patrician features, the stone was alive, the faces were looking down at her. Not in an accusing way but they would be looking at her in a pleading way. When their stone lips moved, theirs was the wind as their voice._

" _Tell them…tell them."_

 _ **RUN, RUN,**_ _Blakes mind did not need to tell her twice, her legs responded as statues with groans of rock were coming closer, their blank eyes of rock, devoid of color were weeping blood. They pleaded again and again. "TELL THEM." A bit louder, like a shrieking gale that was on the seas or in the mountain valleys. She came to an edge._

 _Below her dropping into oblivion was the clouds, grey and without part and they were what she would fall through. She looked behind her as a grinding of stone signaled that something was opening. The hatch behind her led down into the darkness. Being crushed by the statues of these giant warriors that were as big as a CCTS tower. Maybe they were smaller and well Blake did not care as she dodged through the statues grasping gauntleted hands and their massive feet. "TELL THEM' "Tell Them, Tell them."_

 _The hatch, the hole was a very long and steep staircase at the other side of the tower and the young Faunus was quick on her feet with the monsters behind her. Their bleeding eyes and windy voices were something that was terrifying. As she entered the darkness she felt the presence of warmth. Warmth of friendship and of fire that cooked things, things she had been denied._

 _She was not running down stairs. She was standing still, looking at a room. Giants sat around a table, humans if not for their size. The room was brightly lit and the giants looked at the young Faunus. "Come join our feast little one. You can eat without fear here. "_

 _Blake stepped forward to the table and sat down in the small chair that was at the end. The giants looked at her, pale, tan, dark faces all seemed to be quite kind. There was something about them. They wore black armor and there was her rose emblem at their paldrons, which were quite massive, and they all treated her with respect. The table was piled high with meat and breads and sweets. There was something off, the giant at the head of the table spoke. He was older than the man in the statues._

" _My lady. We are your Guard, we shall keep your secrets and preserve you from all those who threaten you."_

 _Looking to one side out the window, the gardens were quite beautiful. Blake relaxed her mind wandered from the laughing of the monster and the helplessness. Her friends would not find out. She reached out for the food. And she started to eat, a sweetbread like the ones that she had tasted when she had been at some pastry shop in downtown Vale. She looked at them._

 _Please don't ask me, she thought looking at all the faces. They smiled at her and they were polite, talking about things that she did not know about. The feast though was like water to a soul that was in need of friendship and the smiles of the giants and their vows of protection was something that she sorely needed._

" _Thank you." She said feeling hot tears coming to her eyes. "Thank you." The feeling that she could have safety, had to be false. She wanted to believe this was real. She would go to bed with knights of iron around her._

 _But it was not to be._

 _The Monster Laughed, it echoed around the room, Blake shut her ears. One giant placed a gauntleted hand on her back._

" _Calm yourself my lady. We shall deal with the bastard. To arms my brothers. To arms." The giants sprinting out of the hall followed this laughing and then Blake was falling. Her speed as she ran from the statues had meant that she was able to stop herself, she fell down the stairs but she had no injuries. She did not care as she picked herself up. Looking down the stairs through all the torches of flames and the shadowy statuary. She could see the exit. The doors of the massive tower something that was quite far away. Blake ran down the stairs not looking at the shadows that had the statues. There was not much to see but the statues were those same giants and her friends' voices._

" _I knew you had secrets. I'm sorry I did not know."_

" _Blake why didn't you tell me?"_

" _Typical…just typical.."_

 _NO, they did not know about the Monster and her past with him. There was something that was nagging at her._

 _This can be real._

 _It's a dream_

 _Wake up._

 _TELL THEM._

 _She ran fast and felt her chest burning from the effort as she rushed out into the light of the sun. The same grey sky. She was at the base of the round tower. It towered over her. She stood at the top of a stairway. Down below she could see Grimm. The monsters all around her were focused on the giants. Something that was nagging at her, it was not the urge to tell her friends of the pain and the nightmares. It was more fundamental to the scene that was around her. Giants wielding massive guns that were blazing away and for some reason they were the same men who had smiled at her around the feasting table in that ethereal hall. They were not knights or were they, such armor had not been recorded in the history of Remnant. She watched them hold the line._

 _Such courage was born not of desperation but it was born of a calling far beyond a huntsman or a huntress. Men who had been forged to fight and to win, they were fighting for her, swords and guns met the tide of Grimm head on. But the monsters laughter was everywhere. A banner with her emblem was gripped in one giants hand and he held a sword aloft with two giant machines flanking him. Another with a crested helm turned towards her. The words he spoke were for her._

" _Tell them."_

 _Blake looked up at him and the "NOOOO." She screamed caused them to be changed. Where once giants were holding the line it was slaughter as grim tore into the them. For all their courage they died though they died fighting. And Blake wept, she remembered their smiles and their kindness and they were dying for her. Giving their all and falling like heroes. She wept and she was quite horrified, kneeling and clutching her face she heard cries and yells and then she looked up with only the laughter of the Monster and there was something else. She looked among the bodies and she saw a very small girl surrounded by the giants. One of them had his helmet off and the look on his scarred face was pleading._

" _Tell them."_

 _She shook her head in denial as he died with a shuddering breath. His words rining in her head and her body shaking with sobs. She could not and she would not tell them, they would not understand and they would not know. The_

 _There was a little girl weeping by the flag. It had been planted in the ground. The bearer was dead. The little girl was small, maybe five perhaps. Definitely she was not older then ten. The fact that she had cat ears was something that wanted her to reach for a weapon._

 _She is a little girl._ _ **WHY THE HELL WOULD WANT TO DO THAT?**_

 _She looked into the eyes of the little girl. She was her, the same black hair but shorter and the eyes were more wronged. Or were they. She struggled to push the massive banner upright. Blake moved to help._

" _Why don't you tell them…why don't you tell them."  
_

 _The little girl hugged the banner. Beyond her was a battlefield, a great and empty plain that was full of the dead and the dying. The monsters laughter was resonant. The Grimm howled over all of the dead and the dying. Giants lay sprawled, armor rent and weapons gone. The little girl stood at her side. She was not angry but she was pleading as all of them were. The war machines the giants wielded were destroyed and shattered, corpses were like the see._

" _Look up." The little girl said. Blake turned her eyes to the sky dreading what she would see up there. Her heart hammered as she beheld the son. The very sky lit up with fire as she beheld something descending towards the ground. It was a humanoid figure with cat ears. It was she again. She was robed in the finest materials and she was glowing with fire. Her eyes flashed light as she strode over the corpses; the look in her eyes was quite desperate. She cried liquid fire._

" _Tell them."  
_

Blake awoke on the floor screaming _._

The witch stood watching the heavens, she knew of Ozpims friend and what he was and what he could do. The man was at the head of an Empire that stretched across the heavens. No matter, she would triumph, and yet she knew it would be a challenge. The man who was coming was a master strategist. The second son was among his most favored with his strong right hand being the XVI. The witch looked at the moon.

"So I shall not face the fury of the Wolves of the Moon or the Sons of the King of Winter nor shall I face his Children or the Thousand, or the Lord of Five-Hundred, I shall face the Scions, I shall face the Swords." The witch's lips twitched as she looked upon the hordes of monsters that were her beloved children. The energies of the world were quite powerful and she was more than equal to many entities of the Beyond. She was the child of the universe, born to punish humanity for their arrogance.

"He will come, the shining prince with his hosts, little does he know of the webs that are being spun about his brothers. Of how they shall tear each other apart."

"My lady?" The room in which she dwelled was at the top of a great tower of black stone with the lights of her torches casting shadows on piles of books and tomes and instruments and specimens of various ancient creatures. The Doctor stood just inside the door behind his lady of darkness in her long black dress. Her skin was paper white and she had black lines about her cheeks and arms. She walked slowly and serenely inside.

In the center of the room was a map, Remnant was shown in all its ancient and hypocritical glory. Humans were for the most part a species that Salem found to be fundamentally irredeemable and she would be proud to wipe them out.

Standing over the map with her pale arms in her sleeves she looked at the doctor in the shadows. The witch began to speak and she was quite beautiful with her melodious voice and her charisma.

"Dear Doctor you and I both know what is here. The old scholar of Vale, Ozpims dear comrade has sent his son. We know it is not the Wolf of the Moon or the Sons, who are a Thousand. I am quite inclined that we should tip our hand and make him who comes, the Lord of the Evening act in haste. But let him gather is information. Perhaps his sons shall convince him to burn this world." The witch snorted. "I find that improbable."

"My lady. They dwell…."

"Yes, calm yourself doctor I know where they dwell and they are up there and we are down here. The game has been reset, the Chessboard has been upended." The witch looked at the map with inhuman hunger. She had no patrons, she allies and she knew the past and the present and the future. She had been weaving her webs like the pins in her bone white hair. "Ozpim, you know you have lost when you call on those who are far away. When you call old friends I know well but have not graced this world. No one likes a cheater at a game like this. An upended board does not mean that the game is over."


End file.
